1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a gyroscope for determining rate of rotation using giant magnetoresistance technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gyroscopes are well known in the art. The classical gyroscope utilizes a mass that spins steadily about a free movable axis, also known as a gimbal. When the gyroscope is tilted, the gyroscopic effect causes the gimbal to move orthogonally to the direction tilted, allowing a user to determine an angle moved.
Most modern gyroscopes, however, determine rate of rotation utilizing an element which oscillates along an axis. When the gyroscope is rotated, the Coriolis effect causes a secondary vibration orthogonal to the original oscillation. Typically, a capacitive sensor is used to detect this secondary vibration. The signal produced by the capacitive sensor is analog and typically must be converted to a digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter. A computing device, such as a processor, can then receive the digital signal and determine the rate of rotation.